


audience

by allpowerfullou



Category: B.A.P, SPICA (Band), 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys | BTS
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Bad life decisions, Denial of Feelings, Domestic Fluff, Drinking, Drunk karaoke, F/M, Internal Conflict, M/M, One-Sided Attraction, Slice of Life, This is so fluffy it hurts, This is something i would do, but seriously, damn you soft heart!, external crisis, mentions of sexual thoughts, rated t for vulgarity, there was supposed to be smut but the fluff took over
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-27
Updated: 2016-08-27
Packaged: 2018-08-08 19:19:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,299
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7769947
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/allpowerfullou/pseuds/allpowerfullou
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>daehyun sings at the coffee shop jongup works at, and jongup has a little bit more than a crush on daehyun.</p>
            </blockquote>





	audience

**Author's Note:**

  * For [joonchen](https://archiveofourown.org/users/joonchen/gifts).



> and huzah! this went from 0 to 100 to -4 to a solid 71, and i really hope you like it! i tried to write all of your other prompts along the way, but considering the amount of coffee shops I've worked in (can't you tell?), i kept coming back to this one. plus gup needs more love in this world, and I'm very happy to give it to him! not to mention you had some very cute prompts that i definitely have some rough draft fics saved for bc they're so fucking cute man. your prompts were all super good, and I truly hope that i could do your idea some justice! this really took so much more effort that i didn't expect. i was gonna take the smut easy way out, but I just grew with the fic and felt like my child would be ruined if i threw smut in just for the fucks of it. 
> 
> also i honestly have to thank some very special people that i'm not gonna name, but they helped so much and i swear to god if it weren't for them i wouldn't have been able to finish this. (they also tolerated me whining about it on twitter for days) this really turned out longer and better than i expected, so i hope you like the fruit of my loins and all. 
> 
> (also, sorry for the excess of idol fuckery, i really didn't mean to use so many, i just fucked up somehow i'm sorry. i wasn't even sure what groups you liked and didn't, so I just freeball it. omg)

Eyeing the steam wand with distrust, he slid the cooled container of milk beneath the wand and twisted the knob. It was more like muscle memory than anything else. His broad hand pressed to the side of the container to feel how warm it was. There were thermometers in the same water as the stirring spoons, but Jongup could never navigate both the container and thermometer without burning the milk. 

He angled the cup, pulling it out slowly before pushing it back up, submerging the wand deeper into the warming liquid. There were so many things to keep in mind when steaming the milk: the screeching off the steam wand as it needed to be ariated more, the rapidly growing temperature of the metal against his skin, the level of the foam and if it was rising enough. Jongup was good, but it took a hell of a lot of practice to be that good. 

Carefully, Jongup pulled the container down again watching as bubbles rapidly grew on top of the foam before sinking again. He repeated the action a few times before the heat of the container began to burn just enough. Turning the steam off, he pulled the container away and swirled the liquid, watching as the thick cappuccino foam sat on top of the warm milk. Sitting the milk on the counter he grabbed the damp cloth from below the wand to wipe off the milk as he waited for the milk to separate. 

Finally, with his tongue caught between his teeth, Jongup tapped the metal canister on the counter a few times, removing the last few bubbles from his otherwise flawless foam. It took a lot of focus and dedication to have the best foam in the entire shop, and it was a badge that he wore with pride, especially when it meant that the Jung Daehyun would always specifically ask for Jongup to make his drink. 

(Making Jiwon incredibly jealous was definitely another perk as far as Jongup was concerned.)

And today was no different. Daehyun--who had the world’s plushest lips and most genuine smile--sat across the counter from him, watching in fascination as Jongup made the drink that was permanently ingrained in his memory: a 16 ounce cappuccino with coconut milk that was steamed a little cooler than normal so as to not scald his mouth with two pumps of white chocolate, a squirt of almond syrup, whipped cream, chocolate drizzle, and cayenne pepper on top. 

Honestly, it wasn’t the hardest or weirdest thing the barista had to make, and it wasn’t that bad either. He liked the mixture of sweet and hot, but it just wasn’t his type. He was more of a vanilla latte with caramel on top kind of guy (but not a macchiato because Jongup was not a pretentious douchebag). 

With practiced ease, he scooped the solid foam into the cup, watching it fill up with nothing but bubble-like milk. He could’ve simply poured the foam into the cup and gotten the same outcome, but he loved the way Daehyun’s eyes widened in obvious interest at how thick it was. As it neared the top of the cup, he pulled a fresh can of whipped cream out of the fridge, noting the lid still secured in place. Apart from his excellent foam skills, Jongup also chose to do things in a less traditional manner--granted, it didn’t always work in his favor. (But he still had to try because in his mind, Jongup was a pretty cool guy.)

Gripping the can, he smacked the tip of the lid on the counter top across from Daehyun, a smirk on his face as he imagined his the lid flying off perfectly to reveal the spout where the whipped cream came from. Instead, he got distracted by the man’s lips and hit the can way too close to the base, causing the lid and spout to go flying off along with a stream of whipped cream. 

And what kind of day would it be if the cap didn’t smack the other in the face causing him to flail and knock the flawless drink over? It took a moment for Jongup to realize the liquid had poured down his front, searing his skin through his shirt. 

“Oh my god,” the guy spat, his voice thick and husky, “Are you okay?” 

Daehyun’s nimble hands were across the counter with napkins before Jongup could even process what was happening. He was more concerned about how long it was going to take him to clean up the mess--syrup is a bitch to scrub off the floor--or how he was going to explain this to his boss. Fuck. 

“Hey, are you there? Are you okay? Is it burning?” Jongup blinked a few times before shaking his head, trying to find the words to get the guy’s hand away from his sticky, damp body. 

“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine. I just, give me a minute, and I’ll make you another drink.” He took a step back from the counter and espresso machine, trying to get his brain to stop short circuiting long enough for him to remake the drink. The space between him and Daehyun helped as well. It sometimes felt like every single time the man got too close to him the world was draped in a thin pink veil and the scent of flowers became overpowering.

“Jongup,” Yongguk’s deep voice was suddenly behind him, and fuck. “What exactly are you doing?”

The younger could feel his manager’s nimble hand on his shoulder, and he briefly considered darting back towards the customer who Yongguk was exceptionally fond of. He’d been told not to open the cans of whipped cream like that because ‘it wastes product’ and ‘only leads to disappointment’. 

“I forgot?” Jongup turned to face his friend with a weak smile. Daehyun was still behind him, mopping 16 ounces of spilled perfection off the granite counter tops and trying to pretend he wasn’t listening to the entire conversation.

“I told you three hours ago not to do that. Three. Everyone else may think you’re an idiot, but I was giving you a little more credit than that,” the elder started, eyes shifting from Jongup to the mess on the floor, counter, and machine. He sighed, obviously unamused with the brunette’s shit, and narrowed his eyes. “Please stop trying to impress the customers and open the can like a normal fucking human.”

He didn’t even offer to get Jongup the mop before turning away. It had been an incredibly stressful day, and although they were best friends, at work Yongguk was still his boss and all. Jongup really didn’t blame him for being aggravated, but the coffee was cooling on his clothes and beginning to get very uncomfortable. 

“Hyung, would you mind finishing the drink so I can go get cleaned up?” He asked meekly, knowing good and well that Yongguk was probably going to say no. 

“Finish it yourself. You wouldn’t be in this situation if you weren’t trying to impress Daehyun. Jesus, it’s painful watching you pine over him.” And just like that Yongguk slipped into the back, probably to sneak out and hide by the dumpsters to chain smoke for the next few minutes. 

Jongup’s face was red, and he was praying for the ground to open up and swallow him whole. Hell seemed nice this time of year. 

With a deep breath, he turned back around to gauge the brunette’s reaction. Despite seeing him every Sunday for about a year and a half, Jongup had never gotten the courage to ask him out or even address the crush that bubbled inside his belly like acid. In all honesty, he took any opportunity he could to avoid him, and his gorgeous doe eyes and soft smile. He wouldn’t even ring him up at the register. 

Rejection was not his strong suit in life. 

But it seemed like his internal crisis was useless, because Daehyun’s focus was already elsewhere. Like on the incredibly tall model looking guy who had his arm casually slung over Daehyun’s shoulder and lips meters from his ear. 

Well, great. Daehyun had rejected him without even realizing he was doing it. How nice. 

With a grumble, Jongup begrudgingly made another drink, pushing it across the counter a minute later and avoiding eye contact with the other men. He was sulking and bitter the last thing he needed was that smile in his face. 

“Thank you,” Daehyun mumbled, sounding distracted, and Jongup made the mistake of looking over to see the model placing a series of kisses on his neck. 

“Yeah, whatever,” he spat, moving away from the counter to get the mop to soak up the puddle on the floor.

Who even does that kind of thing in public? He thought bitterly, but the pang in his stomach told him that he would be more than willing to do that if it meant he could have Daehyun on his arm. 

Just as he was preparing himself for a shift of bitter scowling, Jiwon nudged his hip with her own, giving him a pointed look. 

“What are you even doing right now?” she asked, her usual smile morphing into an expression of exhaustion and mild annoyance. 

Jongup looked at her like she was the world’s biggest idiot before gesturing to the sticky mess on the floor. That caused her to laugh softly, but it was more mocking than anything. 

“No, Guppie, like, what are you doing?” Jiwon made a vague gesture between Jongup and Daehyun (who was moving from his perch at the bar back to a more secluded area of the shop). “You are so obvious it’s a little painful.” 

“I am not,” he mumbled, scrubbing at the floor but somehow only making a bigger swampy mess.

“You’re so hopeless. Maybe next time you should talk to him instead of acting like the world’s most pretentious barista,” she offered with a little shrug before tossing a damp cloth at him. “Oh, and you may want to change your jeans. I don’t think that stain will come out.” 

Jiwon was tall and beautiful, and Jongup loved her dearly but if looks could kill, he’d be dragging her body to the dumpster at that moment. 

Did everyone know about his damn crush?

\---

“Honestly, Gup, why haven’t you at least asked him out yet?” Yongguk asked, his voice much more relaxed now that he was out of his uniform and sitting on the bus beside his friend. 

They had just finished their twelve hour shift with Jiwon and couldn’t wait to be in their apartment. The blonde had disappeared right after the shift, mumbling something about a date. Jongup wished he had the energy to work an exhausting shift and turn around to go out, but Jiwon was always capable of a lot more than he was. Hell, she could make drinks all night and not spill a single one. That was talent. 

Maybe if they were lucky, Youngjae would still be up and willing to feed them something that wasn’t all chocolate and carbs. Probably not. That was always asking way too much, but the thought was enough to cease the gurgling coming from his stomach. 

“I don’t know? I figured I didn’t really stand a chance compared to that guy he was with. Why didn’t you tell me he was dating someone?” He gave his friend a little shove of annoyance, huffing when Yongguk only chuckled at the motion. 

“I thought you knew. He’s there every Sunday and usually a few other days to study. Plus, they’re actually the cutest couple ever, come on.” 

“They’re not even that cute. More like disgusting. Who makes out like that in public, hyung? They sucked face for, like, forty-five minutes by the bookshelf. What if someone wanted to read?” Jongup knew he was whining, he could hear it in his voice, but he was tired and sticky and really did not care. 

“It’s a Tuesday night. Who goes to a coffee shop at ten on a Tuesday night? Stop sulking, maybe if you hadn’t acted like he had a life threatening disease, that could be you.” Now that got the youngers attention, and he gave Yongguk a harder shove. He was considering standing up and moving to another seat to sulk in silence at this rate. 

But his older friend seemed to read Jongup’s mind and threw an arm over his shoulder, holding him close. 

“You know they’ve only been together for two months right? You had a chance, but you blew it. Congratulations on being the most unobservant idiot on the planet, my friend,” Yongguk chuckled, deep and genuine causing Jongup’s scowl to deepen. 

He really needed new friends. 

\---

Sunday’s were not Jongup’s favorite day. It had been two weeks since the Incident, and his ego was still recovering from the blow, and now he got to spend half his shift with Daehyun up on a stage singing the most beautiful songs he had ever heard while some gorgeous woman gently strummed a guitar beside him. 

What was with all of Daehyun’s friends being super hot? Did attractive people travel in packs or something? 

All he could manage was putting his head down and grinding through the shift. Honestly, he wasn’t even always in a mood when Daehyun was around, it was just his ego was shot and he was more than a little devastated. But that was nothing that couldn’t be cured with some alcohol after the shift was over. 

“Jongup,” came Jiwon’s sickly sweet voice as another cup was thrust into the growing line of cups. “If you don’t start on these drinks, I’m making you clean the bathrooms tonight.” 

That pulled Jongup out of his brain long enough to focus on the growing line of cups on the counter beside him. Daehyun always had a big turn out, and he was getting pretty popular throughout the town. His mismatched band of misfits didn’t help when it came to Jongup seeing their faces everywhere. 

Apart from being stuck in the same room with Daehyun singing softly in a corner, the evening wasn’t even that bad. He got caught up with the drinks pretty quickly and the crowd died down, giving Jongup and Jiwon a chance to slip outside while Yongguk covered the counter. They both knew he was sleeping with the girl playing the guitar, Boa? Something like that. It would’ve been a lot more subtle if Jongup didn’t live with him, but he wasn’t going to say anything. 

Just being outside in the fresh night air was enough for the stress to drain from his body as he took a slow drag from his cigarette. Being busy at work was the best way to get something off his mind, pulling him out of his moping, whining slump long enough to focus on things that actually needed his attention. Like not fucking up overly complicated drinks. 

“I’m heading back in. Were you going to smoke another?” Jiwon asked as she stubbed out her cigarette.

She was a workaholic by choice, always eager to get back inside and see what was happening. Or at least that’s what she said. Jongup knew for a fact that the man she had gone on a date with was in the crowd: tall, broad, black hair that framed his face perfectly. Hell, Jongup would want to be inside staring at him too. 

“Yeah, just one more though. If you and Yongguk need me, just let me know,” he replied, plucking another cigarette from the box as his coworker slipped inside. 

“Mind if I bum one?” a deeper, definitely masculine voice asked, and Jongup was about to make up some lie about not having one before looking up and staring at Jung Daehyun himself. 

“Smoking’s bad for your voice,” he mumbled dumbly as he offered his lit cigarette to the man. 

“I hear it kills too. Who would’ve known?” Daehyun chuckled, the sound running through Jongup’s ears like warm honey, slow and thorough and deliberate. 

The man sat down on one of the crates besides Jongup, holding the cigarette so perfectly it felt like it was supposed to be there always. The brunette had no idea how he never realized Daehyun smoked, especially when he held the stick like it gave him actual energy. 

“You could stop staring any time now.” Jongup’s cheeks went hot. He looked away and grabbed another smoke to light it quickly. 

“Sorry. You’re just...distracting, I guess,” But that sounds super dumb and Jongup was already regretting it before the words came out of his mouth,

“I’m the distracting one? Yeah, okay, that makes a lot of sense Mr. Jawline so sharp you could slit my throat,” Daehyun’s brows were knit together in curiousity, staring at Jongup like he couldn’t believe what the other just said.

The amount of attention focused on him had his cheeks going even darker, gaze lowering to try and will himself to just spontaneously combust. Jongup was not used to being the center of anyone’s attention especially not when he had liked the person for so long his head hurt with the intensity of the crush.

But this was Daehyun who was staring at him with a look that he couldn’t quite place, holding the gaze for a few beats too long before pulling away to take another puff. The space between them was filled with something, the silence should’ve been awkward, uncomfortable even, but it wasn’t. It was peaceful sharing the air was someone like Daehyun. 

“So,” Daehyun began, the words in his mind freezing as Jongup looked over at him. 

His hair was pushed back just enough that it looked like he spent twenty minutes trying to make it look like he just got out of bed. He was some sort of god, the cigarette dangling from his lips and eyes a little wide as if he were caught off guard. It was so beautiful that Daehyun had to take a moment just to breathe before continuing. 

“So, we’ve been doing this thing for how long now? Don’t you think we need to talk about it?”

“What thing? What are we talking about? I personally don’t mind not talking about anything to save myself from being rejected a second time.” Jongup gave a small shrug, flicking the ash away from the end of his cigarette. 

The stick was almost out, and he knew that he probably needed to go back inside. Maybe even just run away into the distance. His belly had an uncomfortable feeling beginning to rise, and Moon Jongup did not handle rejection well at all. But he was so fucking head over heels for Daehyun that he pulled another out of the pack (he only had three more left, shit), lit it, and looked at the other. 

“Rejected another time?” Daehyun stuttered, his own cigarette wiggling dangerously between two fingers as if it were going to fall to the ground. “I don’t think I would ever reject you let alone doing it twice? What do you even mean? We barely even talk, not that I don’t try.”

“Um, the other day with your boyfriend. You know, the tall model looking guy who puts everyone around him to shame with how hot he is? That one. Yeah, I picked up on the hint pretty quickly when I went to hand you your drink and his tongue was down your throat. That was as good of a rejection as any.” And as if on queue, the back door slammed open, two people pushing out of it in a hurry. 

Both men turned to look in surprise as Jiwon pressed herself up against the wall on the other side of the door, ignoring the sharp slam of it and blissfully unaware of Daehyun and Jongup’s sad attempt at talking about their feelings. The person with her seemed just as invested in her, hands finding her hips and pinning her to the wall. Leaning down, the man’s lips found her neck, and the pair picked up where they left off. 

“I’m too fucking sober for this,” he muttered taking another long drag, shifting closer to the brunette without even realizing it. 

Daehyun giggled softly at Jongup’s remark, yet neither of them did anything. It felt like Jongup was a fly on the wall to something he wasn’t supposed to see, but it saved him from having to further delve into his feelings, so he took the opportunity to change the topic. 

“Wait,” Daehyun murmured, sitting forward as if he were struggling to see in the dim light of the alley. “Hyung, what the hell are you doing?”

Jongup turned to stare at the other, grabbing onto his shirt to get him to shut up before the other’s realized they were there. If anything, they could have always just sneaked away, but no, Daehyun was already standing, his cigarette falling to the ground already forgotten. 

And once again, Jongup wished the earth would open up and consume him, his face a bright shade of red that was probably starting to glow. Jongup didn’t do confrontation, rejection, or really much that involved talking to people, and the last thing he needed was to get caught spying on his friend in the middle of an intense makeout session.

Upon hearing Daehyun’s confused voice, the man pulled away, a strange look on his face as the pair looked over at the younger two. 

“Dae, what the fuck are you doing out here?” the man asked, pulling further away to peer at Daehyun with cat-like eyes. 

Jongup was already giving up on the situation, tugging out his lighter to relight the forgotten cigarette in his fingers and lower his face towards the ground. Meanwhile, Daehyun was rising to his feet to throw an accusatory glare at this older friend. 

“I could say the same thing. Is this the reason you’ve been blowing us off for the past few weeks?” He looked over at Jiwon, who despite looking pretty pissed, was handling this rather well. 

“I-- listen man, is this really the time to be talking about this? Why don’t we talk about how you and your little crush are hiding in a dark alley watching people make out? Did your parents even raise you right?” Quickly covering his own ass, the man’s deep voice got a little more gruff, as if he were shifting the blame. 

“Wait, Channie, you haven’t told them we were together?” Jiwon finally cut in, placing a manicured hand on his shoulder to get his attention.

This was all feeling like some bad drama, and Jongup slowly began moving, shifting away from the group to sneak back inside. All he had was one or two more drags on the cigarette and he was home free. Everyone else was too busy wrapped up in their own game of ‘who fucked up more’ to even realize that Jongup was stubbing out his finished smoke and slipping into the door. 

Until the metal screeched, a loud and ungodly noise, that turned all the heads towards him. 

“Gup, where do you think you’re going?” Jongup deflated instantly, groaning under his breath before looking up towards his older friend. 

 

“Well, I was going to go inside, maybe do my job, will myself to spontaneously combust so I didn’t have to watch the closest thing I have to an older sister make out with some asshole, you know, the usual,” he muttered, looking at the three people who stared at him. 

“No, no, no, you’re not getting out of this that easy. You owe me one, Guppie. And I think you know exactly what I want.” 

\---

The bar Jiwon had chosen for their double date was loud and full, bodies pressing against each other so tightly that he could feel the sweat on his skin after being in there for only a few minutes. After the incident in the alley, Jiwon made Jongup and Daehyun agree to go on a double date with her and Himchan, causing both of the younger men to protest.

In hindsight, he wasn’t sure if it was the bodies that were making sweat form along his hairline, or if it was the alcohol swimming in his system. Just the thought of the date had made him nauseous for days, unable to do much else other than avoid the singer and hide in his room. But as the day grew nearer, it was getting harder and harder to force himself to go, that was until he stumbled upon some liquid courage. 

By the time Jongup showed up in the bar with Yongguk and Jiwon in tow, Jongup was nowhere near sober. He was stumbling, grabbing onto Yongguk’s arm for balance. 

“Guppie, did you really have to drink before coming here tonight?” he asked through clenched teeth as he desperately grabbed Jongup to tug him back to his feet before he hit the floor. 

“I, yeah, I needed this, hyung. This is gonna help a lot, okay? It’ll go great, this will be great,” the younger slurred, balancing himself on his feet. 

His smile was crooked, eyes dull, but Yongguk took his word for it regardless, because he was a good friend despite what others may say. 

About three hours in, Yongguk was regretting his decision. The table was full of empty glasses and bottles, and the group was laughing and talking so loudly that people across the bar were coming over to ask them to be quiet. He had no idea how loud Jongup could possibly be, staring in awe at his friend as the younger was practically all over Daehyun. 

Jongup was a completely different person when he was drinking, all of his fears and inhibitions leaving his body, making him the most social person that anyone could’ve met with. He had his arm thrown over Daehyun's shoulders with his bangs falling into his face every few minutes as he threw his head back to laugh at whatever the other man was saying. 

Their conversation was much easier now that they both were pretty drunk, meaning everyone else at the table got to watch with encouragement as the two men toed closer and closer to the subject at hand. 

Eyes lighting up, Daehyun leaned over closer to Jongup, mumbling something into the younger's ear that made his eyes go dark. There was no use trying to stop them from whatever dangerous line they were inching closer to. They were adults, very, very inebriated adults who had hardly even spoke before this, but hell, sometimes the only way to make something happen was to dive head first. 

Further away from them, there was a small stage with speakers and a screen being set up. 

“Attention everyone,” A small man began, his voice booming into the microphone and snagging the attention of the people in the building. “Now that everyone here looks like they have a nice buzz, I guess it's time to break out the karaoke stage!”

The crowd roared and drinks were thrust up into the air only for them to be brought back down after a few people ended up with alcohol all over them. 

“I'm Hoseok, my partner, Yoongi, is our smoking hot bartender, and we have a deal for you! Just to get this party started, the first five people who come up to sing will get free drinks for the rest of the night. So, take another shot and come on up! This doesn't happen every night!” The man, Hoseok, gave a little wink before his gaze shifted across the crowd to look at Yoongi, lingering for a beat or two before returning to the people before him. “With that being said, let's get someone up here!”

The first person who ran up was a young woman with a cherub like face and long black hair. She introduced herself at Bohyung before choosing some song that sounded like it should've been some sixties sleepover love song. Something about not loving her anymore. 

“Daehyun! You need to go up there!” Jongup practically shouted, turning towards the other who only gave him a little smirk. 

“I sing all the time, why don't one of you go? Free drinks for the rest of the night, hell, we could use them,” everyone chuckled at the remark but no one seemed to interested to go up.

In her defense, Jiwon, who's singing voice compared to Daehyun's, seemed way too interested in the idea of sneaking somewhere more private with Himchan. And Yongguk did not sing. Ever. Unless it was in the shower or softly under his breath while he baked for the coffee shop. But Boa and Daehyun had no excuse as far as Jongup was concerned. 

“But, hyung,” the younger all but whined, slouching closer to Daehyun with a pronounced pout on his face. “I love your singing voice. You sound like an actual angel, oh my god. It's so perfect. You're actually perfect, have I told you that?” 

“You might have mentioned it once or twice or twenty times tonight,” and Daehyun has the audacity to giggle, the sound resembling tinkling chimes and clouding Jongup’s senses. 

God, he was so fucking smitten. Tugging the brunette a little closer, his lips brushed across Daehyun's temple, more like a breathe against his sweat slicked skin than an actual kiss, but it was enough. It felt like the entire room was gone, Bohyung's voice a beautiful background noise, as Daehyun and Jongup were the only people still in existence. 

“I'll do anything! I'll even give you a piggy back ride to the bar and back, or even carry you all the way home?” Jongup was desperate, bargaining anything away if it meant that he could hear Daehyun's voice pouring through the sound system and getting the attention he deserved. 

“Did you just say you'd carry me all the way home?” his eyes were wide with shock and something a little fonder, and he laughed once more with mirth. “Gup, you're wasted, you'll need to be carried home by Yongguk hyung.”

Mentioning the elder's name pulled his attention to the pair, a fatherly smile on his face despite the unhappy tone of his voice, “Don't remind me. If I knew I'd be babysitting I wouldn't have brought him. What if I had other plans, Guppie?” Yongguk was teasing, of course. Boa tried to give the youngest a look of annoyance, but it shifted into something almost as parental as Yongguk's. 

Jongup was being the world's biggest cockblock as was too drunk and invested in his crush to even realize it. 

“That's bullshit! I can carry you! Come on, I'll prove it right now!” He pushed the chair back with a screech that was muffled by the crowd applauding for Bohyung as she bashfully stepped off the stage and ran over to hug some woman standing nearby. 

“That was beautiful! Everyone, let's give one more applause to Bohyung for such an amazing song!” Hoseok was great at getting the crowd hyped for something like drunk karaoke, and everyone listened. Screaming for her with an enthusiasm that only come from a crowd of wasted adults. “Okay, we have four more people who can get free drinks! Who's next?” 

This time there was some hesitation for a taller man stepped up on the stage, broad shoulders and a soft smile, he could've also been a model as far as anyone was concerned. He went straight in to give Hoseok a hug, lingering long enough that Yoongi was shooting fond daggers at the man. They were apparently friends. 

“Alright, up next we have a man who has been one of my closest friends since high school, Seokjin hyung!” 

One more applause from the crowd, and Seokjin cleared his throat and started on another song. It was upbeat like the other, something with a good beat that made Jongup’s pulse sync up to it. 

He stood on shaky legs, taking a moment to steady himself before tugging Daehyun up as well. “You have to let me give you a piggy back ride! I'm not even that drunk, so Yongguk hyung can still go home and get laid tonight without worrying about me.” 

Himchan choked on his drink as he tried to silence a laugh while Yongguk’s face went blood red. He made a personal note to never let Jongup pregame again. 

“Oh my god, Jongup, just stop. Never speak again you're going to kill me,” Daehyun hissed between gulps of air, laughing like the drunkest, most beautiful hyena. “Yeah, fine, I'll let you give me a ride, but just to the bar.”

“I'd rather you ride me but okay,” Jongup didn't even have the modesty to blush instead winking at Daehyun before turning around. 

Mumbling under his breath, Daehyun gave one more look at his group of friends before grabbing Jongup's muscular shoulders and jumping up, wrapping his legs securely around the other's waist. “If you fucking drop me, I'll never fucking ride you.” 

His words were quiet and closer to his ear that expected, but he only tightened his grip of Daehyun's thighs and started on his trek across the crowded, damp floor. 

Not even two steps in, Jongup and Daehyun were both giggling, the elder pressing closer to Jongup and wrapping his arms around such a perfectly thick neck. Why didn't he notice how muscular Jongup was before? 

Almost too soon they were at the bar, red faced and panting from the heat of their bodies being so close to one another. 

Yoongi approached them as soon as they made it to the bar, eyeing the pair curiously as Daehyun didn't bother getting down. His face was neutral, but his eyes were so expressive it hurt. 

“You look like you're having fun,” his voice was deep for such a small man, but it wasn't mean and Jongup just laughed. 

“I'm a little bit drunk and kind of in love, so I guess you can say I am,” Daehyun stiffened behind him, but didn't say anything.

“Oh, I see. Well, why don't you go up onstage next and sing a song for him? You know, with your new found love and all.”

“Wait, Dae, that's a great plan!” Jongup whipped around so quickly he almost smacked Daehyun's body against the bar. He remembered just in time to let go of the other so he could spin and face him.

“You don't have to sing for me when I can just sing for you!” He reached up to cup Daehyun's face, leaning in to press a sloppy, very drunk kiss on his lips. “This is fucking perfect. Yoongi hyung, you're so smart.”

Daehyun, in his defense, looked so taken aback and confused. He was drunk, but nowhere near close to Jongup, actually, he was slobbering up more and more by the minute. But Jongup, the next move for him was probably blacking out, and he did not care about anything in the world except for Daehyun. 

He let go of the elder to look at Yoongi, who had a shit eating grin on his face that he directed towards Daehyun. “Did you want a drink before you went up onstage to seduce your friend here?” 

Thinking on it for a moment, Jongup nodding and Yoongi set off to make a bright blue drink that was so sweet Jongup could've sworn he could feel every ounce of sugar in it. But it was good, and strong enough that he could feel the swirl on alcohol in his belly. It hit the spot, and he felt ready to perform. 

Bounding off towards the stage without another word, he left Yoongi and Daehyun standing by the bar. Daehyun confused and Yoongi cackling. 

“What did you just give him?” Daehyun finally asked turning towards the blonde. 

“Don't worry, it wasn't that strong the kid's shit faced, the last thing I need is him to get nervous and throw up or something. But new found love, huh?” Daehyun had always heard that bartenders were like free therapists and gave a little nod of his head. 

“Yeah, I've had a crush on him for a while, but it's taken until now for him to actually talk to me like I'm not a god or something. It's our first date,” Daehyun slid onto the barstool beside him, resting his elbows on the counter and saying as he looked over to see Jongup and Hoseok talking excitedly. 

“He must really like you. A drunk man is the most honest man. And he honestly has hearts in his eyes every single time he looks at you. Where'd you meet?” Yoongi asked, taking a wet rag to wipe the counter as if he needed to look busy. 

“We met at his work, he's a barista and I go in a lot to sing,” Daehyun shrugged a little, thinking back to how long he had been trying to flirt with Jongup only for the other to shy away from all advances. Hell, making out with Junhong had been the closest thing to a response he had ever gotten from the man, and Junhong wasn't even gay. He was just Daehyun's best friend and more than willing to help him out as long as it meant Dae would stop laying around their apartment whining about Jongup. 

“That's where I know you two from. Daehyun, right? Hoseok and I go to watch your performances sometimes. He's such a fanboy for you, I'm almost surprised you don't remember him harassing you for pictures and conversation after almost every performance,” Yoongi chuckled and looked over at Hoseok, that same look of fondness crossing over his face before he looked back at Daehyun. “You and that other kid would make a really cute couple.”

Daehyun sighed, smiling at the bartender. “Yeah, I just hope tomorrow he doesn't regret this.”

Their conversation was cut short by a loud applause, causing both men to turn and look towards the stage just as Hoseok was escorting Seokjin off and waving Jongup on. “Let’s hear one more for Jin hyung! His singing sounds a lot worse when he’s sober, let me tell you.” Pausing to let the crowd chuckle at the joke, he shifted and wrapped an arm around Jongup’s waist pulling him closer. 

“Lucky for us, our next guest, who probably doesn’t need anything else to drink, is more than ready to serenade us all with a song to a very special person. I’m sure those free drinks will help out! Jongup, the stage is all yours,” Hoseok said, throwing his arms in the air and giving the younger a broad grin. 

Jongup, in his defense, looked less than enthused. The smile that stretched over his face a few minutes ago was replaced with a wide eyed stare and a red face that definitely wasn’t from the alcohol. 

“Hey, I’ll be back,” Daehyun muttered out of courtesy, but he was already standing and returning to his friends. 

Manuevering through the crowd, Daehyun arrived at the table right as Jiwon and Yongguk were standing up. 

“Guys, what the hell is going on?” he rested his palms on the table, looking between his friends as they finally noticed his arrival. 

“Jongup has terribly stagefright. I don’t know what you did to get him to go up there, but whatever happens is your fault,” Jiwon was switching into her overprotective sister role, not even offering a glance in Daehyun’s direction. 

“I don’t understand, he was all for it. No one ever mentioned it?” Daehyun’s question went ignored by the woman. Instead, she began weaving her way to the stage. 

Yongguk looked like he wanted to follow her but hesitated for a moment. “Of course he didn’t say anything. He’s so drunk he probably won’t remember any of this tomorrow, and whatever that bartender just gave him really didn’t help. I know you’re trying to get him in bed or something, but this really isn’t the right way to do it. He’s a damn good kid and doesn’t deserve your mockery.” The friendly Yongguk that Daehyun had become to know and love was gone, replaced with someone who instilled fear deep in his gut. Taking a step back, the singer simply nodded as he watched Yongguk follow Jiwon’s path.

Onstage, Jongup had finally come back to life, blinking slowly beneath the lights before clearing his throat, “Um, hi?” He offered, going far enough to give a little wave. “This was a good idea a few minutes ago, and I’m still a little too drunk to know what to do. I guess, I’m just up here because of this really cute guy who I kind of really like. And--fuck--this is so embarrassing.”

He was rambling, trying to stall and get his brain to stop sloshing around long enough for him to figure out what he was doing. Jongup only sang when he was drunk and alone and not in front of a crowd of people who were starting to whisper quietly amongst themselves.

“Jongup? Hey, sweetie, come down here,” following the sound of his voice, Jongup saw Jiwon and Yongguk standing beside a concerned Hoseok. 

There was nothing he wanted more than to run into his friend’s arms and cry from the amount of bile and nerves that was climbing up his throat. It was so sobering and intoxicating at the same time, and what the fuck did that bartender give him? Ready to take the easy way out, his knees trembled and locked up, leaving him frozen in the spotlight. 

“Jongup, you don’t have to sing. Come down and we can go home, okay?” Yongguk’s paternal voice so comforting, but he still couldn’t bring himself to move. 

“I...I have to. I can’t move,” he muttered, the microphone before him picking up all of the comment, including the whine in his voice. The slur in his words. 

“You don’t have to sing, Guppie. I’m sorry I got you up there. Come on down for me. Or I can go up to you?” All of his friends were slowly building a wall at the front of the stage, Daehyun elbowing two people to the side to get up beside Yongguk. 

“I don’t know,” Jongup’s eyebrows were scrunched together, body curling in on himself as he slowly lowered himself to the floor. 

It looked like he was trying to curl up as much as he could to hide from everyone’s vision. His eyes were prickling, the alcohol and nerves and adrenaline making him emotional and needy. He thought he could hear Daehyun mumble a “I’m going up there”, but he wasn’t sure. Even opening his eyes seemed like such a daunting task, one that he was going to avoid as long as he could. 

The crowd just watched in a confused horror, no one stepping up to help because Daehyun was already crawling onto the stage, squatting before Jongup and taking his face in his strong hands. 

“Guppie, you don’t have to do this,” he soothed, thumbs beginning to stroke perfect cheekbones. “I didn’t realize you were so nervous. Why don’t you come with me, and I’ll take you home. No one wants you to do anything that you’re not comfortable with.” 

Taking a few moments to process what Daehyun was saying, Jongup opened his eyes to look at the other. “I just wanted to impress you. You’re so talented and good at everything.”

“You don’t have to impress me. I think I’m way too deep for that, Gup,” Daehyun’s smile was brighter than the spotlight, and the tsunami in Jongup’s stomach was battling the rapid beating of his heart. He slowly nodded his head, unsure of what to say that wouldn’t sound stupid as he smiled at the other. 

Daehyun released Jongup’s face, sliding his hands down to lace them with the other’s before pulling him to his feet. He completely forgot about how drunk Jongup was, moving too quickly for the alcohol in his body to move, and the next thing he knew, he was going to pale before throwing up all over Daehyun’s chest.

\---

Jongup honestly tried to avoid drinking. The hangover the next day completely ruined the entire night, making him never want to be drunk again and today was no different. He felt like he had been hit with a bus and maybe ten tonnes of brick too. What didn’t help was the sickeningly vivid memories of the night before all the way down to the curl of his stomach moments before he vomited straight alcohol all over Daehyun’s pressed white shirt. 

And maybe he would’ve had an easier time coping if said person wasn’t camped out on the other side of bedroom door like he had been since they carried him home. It was embarrassing enough to publicly throw up on the guy who liked a lot more than he cared to admit but knowing that the same guy fucking slept outside of his bedroom and was now having a one sided conversation with Jongup. 

“I know you're awake. You're moving around. There's medicine on the nightstand and a bottle of water, so maybe you should take it,” Daehyun had already gotten used to the silence from Jongup. 

The younger had been sleeping on and off all day, struggling to fight off the throbbing pain in his skull. It was so fucking embarrassing, the man he'd been pining over for weeks if not months had taken care of him despite being the victim of one of Jongup’s not so uncommon drunken state. Daehyun didn't even bat an eye, the poor bastard, as he gently maneuvered Jongup off the stage. 

Hoseok and Yoongi, well, they were more than accommodating, insisting that this kind of thing happened more than they cared to admit. Apparently, they lived in the apartment above the bar, and the couple wasted no time in taking the group upstairs to get Jongup and Daehyun cleaned up. 

Hoseok managed to find a shirt that fit Daehyun's broad shoulders, and Yoongi was surprisingly gentle when he took Jongup into the bathroom before anyone could bat an eye to fix him over the toilet. The youngest spent half the night throwing up, crying as he did and allowing Yoongi to comfort him with a tone that was so soft in comparison to his bartending personality. 

It took quite a bit of convincing for Hoseok and Daehyun to get Jiwon and Yongguk to go back to their dates. It was still early enough in the night that they didn't need to be burdened by something that Daehyun was more than willing to handle. After so long, Yongguk caved but quickly sent the other his address so Daehyun could get the youngest home. Everyone had to promise that they'd call if anything happened. 

Meanwhile, Jongup began slipping in and out of sleep, leaning back in Yoongi's arms as he washed the male's face with a cool rag until the next wave hit. When Daehyun came into the bathroom, Yoongi offered a little smile and slid out from behind Jongup for Daehyun to take his spot. 

Of course he and Hoseok needed to go downstairs to get the crowd reigned in and everything cleaned up, but they promised to come back and check on the pair when they could. 

God, just the memory of it all had Jongup cringing and nesting further into his blankets. Outside the door, he could hear Daehyun babbling about something, and with a sigh, he attempted to focus on the other man's velvet voice. 

“...it's not like I'm upset about last night, because I'm really not. If the worst thing that happened to me after so much fun hanging out with you was puke, then I can't complain. Plus, we made some great friends! Apparently, Hoseokie is a really big fan of me. It's insane how nice him and Yoongi were. I hope you remember them,” he hesitated, a soft thud filling the silence as he rested his head on the door. “Do you remember anything?” 

But Jongup's will was strong, and he could outlast Daehyun. Or at least he thought he could. It had easily been eight or ten hours that the elder was sitting there, talking softly and slowly through the wood. Every single word bring Jongup a step further to crawling out the door and onto Daehyun's lap to maybe cry for three weeks.

During his months spent watching Daehyun from afar and lulling himself to sleep at night with him pressed up against his body, he never once imagined him being so nurturing. He gave off such a needy, clingy vibe. Hands everywhere and constantly obsessed with being the center of attention. Not once had Jongup ever considered even being the little spoon, let alone being the small one in their relationship, but now things were turned upside down. And what even were they now? Had they made any progress that wasn't immediately erased after he wiped out onstage?

“Jongup.” Daehyun started, letting his eyes fall shut while he pondered his words. “I need you to listen to me. Last night--well--really didn't end up being the perfect first date. And that's exactly what it was so don't argue with me here, but I had a really great time regardless. I'm really kind of upset we didn't start talking sooner, you know? I guess for me, I wasn't really used to people not approaching me when they wanted something or a date. But you, god, you're so fucking different Jongup. You ran away every time I tried to talk to you, and it made it almost worth the chase.”

Daehyun went quiet, letting his monologue hang in the air and Jongup braced himself for the worst. This was the part where Daehyun said he wasn't worth the hassle, where the elder picked himself up and left only to never speak to Jongup again. It sucked, but Jongup was a big boy, and he could handle this. It's not like this was a first time he stepped out of his comfort zone enough to end up embarrassing himself so bad he fucking switched jobs. 

Jongup ran. He had always been known to flee from the unknown and the murky waters when it came to relationships. He'd seen Youngjae go through girl after girl who all crushed him like he was nothing. The same happened with Yongguk. Why would he want that for himself. 

As if his thoughts were broadcasted, he heard the tell tale sign of his roommate approaching the door. His voice was soft, and of course, concerned. Christ, did these people have no faith in him. 

“Dae, fuck, are you still here? Have you slept out here?” Dae? Did they know each other? 

“Yeah, I couldn't just leave him. We have a lot we need to talk about. Especially over last night,” Daehyun replied, and Jongup could hear the shuffling of his clothes as he stood from his spot. 

“You could've slept on the couch, idiot. It's not like you didn't crash on my couch all the time in high school.” The pair chuckled as Jongup finally put two and two together. 

Yongguk must've stayed with Boa, leaving Daehyun to handle Youngjae. But Jongup had never seemed to put two and two together when his roommate constantly talked about hanging out with his close friend from high school who happened to share the same name as his crush. It was a small world, but he also was so fucking put off that no one bothered to fill him in. 

“Man, why would I sleep on that nasty couch. Between you and Yongguk, I don't even want to know how many stains are on it. I'll just stay here in safe territory,” the way his voice molded so fondly over the words had Jongup envisioning Daehyun's face as he spoke, all the way to his scrunched up face of disgust. 

“Whatever, I have to go to work. But I swear to god, Jung Daehyun, if you do anything that upsets him, I'll gut you. He's a good kid, and he doesn't need an asshole like you to fuck with him. Do you hear that, Jonguppie? You call or text me if he gets out of control, I'll kill him.” And Youngjae was serious, no doubt about it. Jongup had never been so grateful for his friends, but what he really wanted was for everyone to leave so Daehyun could break the news and leave.

“I'm not going to hurt him, Jae. I'm trying to tell him that if you'd stop ruining the moment with your annoying voice,” with that, Jongup could hear Youngjae's yelp as Daehyun not to subtly nudged his friend from the apartment. 

He returned moments later, settling back against the door, and Jongup made his own bold move. Slipping out of his bed, he moved to the door, taking a deep breath before opening it just a touch. 

Or it was supposed to be a touch. He really forgot how much weight it took for a door to fly open, Daehyun's eyes wide in terror as he dropped back in the threshold of Jongup's room. 

“Oh, shit! That wasn't, I didn't mean, god, are you okay?” Jongup completely disregarded the fact he was only in a big shirt as he dropped to his knees beside the elder, grabbing his head and putting it in his lap. “I'm sorry I needed to hear what you had to say, and I'm so sorry I keep fucking everything up. You're so infuriatingly beautiful and perfect that I just can't help but to ruin things by just being me. Do you think you have a concussion? Should I c--”

Knowing all too well that Jongup could apologize for another twenty minutes, Daehyun did the only thing he could do. He reached up and threaded his fingers through the younger's hair, tugging him down far enough for Daehyun to seal his lips in a deep kiss. 

That didn't really solve anything, but it was enough for Jongup to relax against him. His hand came to rest on Daehyun's chest, lips working in unison with the other as they released the feelings they'd been hiding for months on end. 

Pulling away with a sigh, Daehyun smiled up at the younger, brushing a strand of hair from the man's face. “I adore you, Jongup. And maybe we're moving a little fast, but I swear what I feel for you is hopefully the same as what you feel for me. I don't let just any random drunk man throw up on me, okay? You're special, and maybe, if you want, we can work our way into this and see where it goes. Because I think you might be everything I need.”

“Shut up,” Jongup hissed, looking away from the other as his cheeks went red. “Why are you so good with words. Of course I want to give this a shot, but you have to let me make it up to you and take you on a real first date? Only we should do it when I look a little less like I threw up in a bar all over a really hot singer who still brushed my teeth and cleaned me up.” Jongup giggled, something high pitched from deep in his chest and leaned back down to peck Daehyun's lips once more. “The first order of business, we should order some food and cuddle. I'm starving and tired and you look like you'd make a great big spoon.”

Daehyun could only laugh and agree, sitting up with a sigh and smiling at Jongup with so much affection it hurt. “Make it a date, and you've got yourself a deal.”


End file.
